‘I want the truth’: NY governor appoints prosecutor in Cornell rape case

Governor Kathy Hochul appointed New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in a 2024 alleged gang rape case at Cornell University. Hochul said new information had shaken her trust in the local investigation.

The appointment shifts control of the criminal inquiry from the Tompkins County district attorney to the state attorney general’s office. The governor said the county prosecutor declined to bring charges in November 2024 without interviewing the woman or seeking a full transcript.

The order says the prosecutor relied partly on a Cornell police summary that left out the woman’s claim that she had been sexually assaulted. The district attorney has defended the decision, saying his office reviewed a sworn statement she provided to campus police.

Hochul said the account given to prosecutors was incomplete, citing reports that the woman told investigators she was certain she had been raped. Cornell has separately announced an independent review of its response to the allegations.

The case has also drawn attention to New York’s rules on consent when a person is mentally incapacitated by drugs or alcohol provided without consent. State lawmakers have said the allegations expose a possible gap in the law, while Lindsey Boylan urged Hochul to support wider legislative changes. James will now oversee the criminal investigation.